DOT helmet audit. 43% fail to meet performance standard. | GTAMotorcycle.com

DOT helmet audit. 43% fail to meet performance standard.

GreyGhost

GreyGhost

Well-known member
Site Supporter
Forum Sponsor
I what should be a surprise to no one, self-certification with no repercussions for cheating doesnt work. Make the fine the msrp of every helmet sold and the manufacturers may actually try.

www.webbikeworld.com

DOT Helmet Failure Rate Is Now 43 Percent - webBikeWorld

In the Government’s Own Sanctioned Testing The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) employed Act Labs—an independent lab in California—to test DOT helmets for labeling and performance from 2014 to 2019. During that time, the lab tested 167 helmets. 62.8 percent of the helmets...
www.webbikeworld.com


To see results, select equipment/fmvss, then search then select 218.

Edit: upon further review, the percentages mean nothing. They tested five "crazy al's" helmets that all failed and dragged down the numbers.

Crazy al heavily markets that they are the world's smallest beanie and "DOT approved". Obviously they're not DOT approved but anyone that thought buying the world's smallest beanie to protect your noggin was a good idea is probably beyond saving anyway.
 
Last edited:
Hmmm. I'm not buying this. WBW isn't my fave site for accurate info and the source is a bit sketchy.
Bottom line is.... Buy the best helmet you can afford (pass on the $500 glitzy sticker jobs) and be positive that it fits your melon.
 
A goodly number failed because of labelling, not because they aren't safe - hardly a definitive study.
 
GreyGhost said:
I what should be a surprise to no one, self-certification with no repercussions for cheating doesnt work. Make the fine the msrp of every helmet sold and the manufacturers may actually try.

www.webbikeworld.com

DOT Helmet Failure Rate Is Now 43 Percent - webBikeWorld

In the Government’s Own Sanctioned Testing The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) employed Act Labs—an independent lab in California—to test DOT helmets for labeling and performance from 2014 to 2019. During that time, the lab tested 167 helmets. 62.8 percent of the helmets...
www.webbikeworld.com


To see results, select equipment/fmvss, then search then select 218.

Edit: upon further review, the percentages mean nothing. They tested five "crazy al's" helmets that all failed and dragged down the numbers.

Crazy al heavily markets that they are the world's smallest beanie and "DOT approved". Obviously they're not DOT approved but anyone that thought buying the world's smallest beanie to protect your noggin was a good idea is probably beyond saving anyway.
Click to expand...

I took a good look at that study and most failed on cosmetic technicalities. The shells all passed. Let's face it, the DOT standard is just a basic test. It's not for high-speed performance helmets. There are several better standards, even Canada has a CSA standard, but the DOT is just the most common. In a country where only 35% of the jurisdictions require adult helmet use, the DOT standard is a good compromise. Using SNELL or anything else would raise the cost and create stronger opposition to helmet laws. That's something nobody needs in a declining motorcycle market.
 
I've insisted on ECE 2205 for years. All racing organisations mandate either Snell or ECE 2205 (or the new FIM standard). In the USA, the bigger problem is encouraging riders to wear any helmet at all. In that sense ... a cheap option is better than none, a marginally non-compliant one is better than none. Non-conformances related to labelling don't mean anything.
 
When I buy a helmet my selection isn’t based on style, I buy based on comfort, fit and manufacturers commitment to safety.

if your head is worth $50, then all you need is a $50 helmet.
 
Roadghost said:
I took a good look at that study and most failed on cosmetic technicalities. The shells all passed. Let's face it, the DOT standard is just a basic test. It's not for high-speed performance helmets. There are several better standards, even Canada has a CSA standard, but the DOT is just the most common. In a country where only 35% of the jurisdictions require adult helmet use, the DOT standard is a good compromise. Using SNELL or anything else would raise the cost and create stronger opposition to helmet laws. That's something nobody needs in a declining motorcycle market.
Click to expand...

Is there a current CSA standard ? I haven't seen anything about CSA approvals for motorcycle helmets in likely 50 years.
This was what I found most current - Motorcycle Helmet Standards
 
CSA has a standard, but to say that no one uses it would be an overstatement ...
 
  • Like
Reactions: TK4
What brian said, my new helmet is dot+snell rated, and has by multiple accounts saved the lives of several riders
 
Well, here's another set of results...
ultimatemotorcycling.com

4 out of 10 DOT-Certified Helmets Fail Government Performance Tests

To find that 41.9% of the helmets tested since 2014 failed on actual performance criteria (i.e.: impact attenuation) could be a concern for US riders.
ultimatemotorcycling.com ultimatemotorcycling.com

When I teach the M2 courses, I ALWAYS suggest the students buy at least an ECE 22.05 helmet.
ECE requires a manufacturer ship a skid of helmets. They test *ALL* of them. If 1 of them fails, the entire helmet line fails.
Something to think about.
 
Damn!

Bought a Shoei helmet. It is only DOT certified. Thought I was getting a good deal on a $900 helmet for $260, new. If they are failing it is no longer a good deal.

Well at least it has a sun shield.
 
ACsurge said:
Damn!

Bought a Shoei helmet. It is only DOT certified. Thought I was getting a good deal on a $900 helmet for $260, new. If they are failing it is no longer a good deal.

Well at least it has a sun shield.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you got a counterfeit - don't kid yourself, they're out there.
 
Scanning the database now. Alphabetical order within each year of testing.

2003 All fails are from brands unknown to me, or known cheap garbage.
AGV pass.
Arai pass.
Bell pass.
HJC pass.
Nolan pass.
Shoei pass.
Suomy pass.

2004 same.
2005 same but it has the first "fails" recorded for a brand name that I recognise: Scorpion EXO-700 fails "performance", Simpson Horizon fails "labeling" (which I don't care about).
2006 Arai Profile fails "performance". Nolan N102 fails "labeling". The above-mentioned Scorpion EXO-700 now indicates "pass".
2007 HJC AC-3 fails "performance". Icon Domain fails "performance"
Shark RSI pass.
2008 nothing unexpected, known-good brands pass, unknown or known-cheap garbage might pass or might fail.
2009 AGV A4 and K-3 fail "performance". Arai Classic-C fails "labeling". Arai Corsair-V fails "performance". Bell MAG-8 fails both "performance" and "labeling". HJC CS-2N and FS-15 fail "performance". Nexx X-60 fails performance and labelling (My previous race helmet was a Nexx). Scorpion EXO400 fails "performance". It seems that a rather exceptional number of failures were recorded this year including helmets from a number of generally well-regarded brands. Why ... is a good question.

In view of a well-regarded helmet failing "performance", I looked at the test report: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/ctr/2009/TRTR-640404-2009-001.pdf
The issue is that there is a requirement to have not more than 200 g deceleration recorded for more than 2.0 milliseconds. On the right side flat anvil test, when the test was conducted at a low temperature, they recorded 2.2 milliseconds, and when the test was conducted when submerged in water, they recorded 2.1 milliseconds. It passed at normal ambient conditions. Personally, I don't rely on a motorcycle helmet at a temperature between -6 and -10 C, and if there's an impact while submerged underwater, we've got other problems to deal with.

2010 returns to a normal pattern - good brands pass, unknown or known-cheap garbage might pass or might fail.
2011 same ... notably, Nexx X-60 is now a pass.

At this point I've run out of patience. Something exceptional happened with their testing in 2009. But the general theme is unsurprising: Good full-face helmet from a known, well-established, reputable brand - No problem. Unknown brand - Known cheap made-in-china crap - Good chance of a problem.

Don't worry about that Shoei (edit: if it's legit, and not a bought-online, shipped-from-China counterfeit).
 
TK4 said:
Sounds like you got a counterfeit - don't kid yourself, they're out there.
Click to expand...

And that is a fair point. I am pretty sure that all helmets that Shoei legitimately sells in the North American market should also have Snell compliance markings, and it is certain that all helmets that Shoei sells in the European market will have ECE2205 markings (and may not have DOT markings since that is a US-only thing). If this is a "Shoei" helmet purchased online ... it is highly likely to be counterfeit garbage - and that's where it belongs.

Don't buy stuff like this online, except maaaaaybe from known-good retailers. Amazon and Ebay are not.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom